Strasburg contract sets baseline for Arrieta

CHICAGO — Reigning Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta on Wednesday hinted that he's worth more than the $175 million deal given to Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg and said he's not ready to give a hometown discount to stay with the Cubs.

"I'll let you judge that," Arrieta said about what he believes his market to be. "Just look at the numbers."

Arrieta, 30, is 22-1 with a 0.92 ERA over his past 27 starts. The Cubs and Scott Boras, the agent for Arrieta and Strasburg, had been discussing a multiyear deal but ceased talks shortly before spring training.

Arrieta realizes that reaching an agreement might not get done anytime soon.

"In a perfect world, I'd prefer it be done quickly," he said. "If it's going to happen, get it over with. Let's go play."

HARPER SUSPENDED: Nationals RF Bryce Harper received a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for returning to the field Monday night after he had been ejected. Harper appealed and was in the lineup Wednesday night.

BOSOX PROBE: Major League Baseball is investigating the Red Sox over their 2015 international signings, focusing on whether the team circumvented MLB's international bonus pools when it signed multiple Venezuelan players who used the same trainer, Baseball America reported.

In an expected move, the University of Louisville Athletic Association's Board of Directors on Monday voted unanimously to fire men's basketball coach Rick Pitino. The decision came 19 days after Louisville acknowledged that its men's basketball program was being investigated as part of a federal corruption probe and …